A Tale of Two Kingdoms
by Anusmita
Summary: Okita Sougo is the third prince of the Kingdom of Edo, though he hardly enjoys the power that should be due to his status. His older stepbrothers, Takasugi and Katsura now plan to attend the princess of Rakuyou, Kagura's wedding ball, leaving Sougo behind. Meanwhile, what does Kagura feel about her upcoming marriage? An Okikagu fanfic, set in an inverted Cindrella AU. COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **A/N: This is an Okikagu fanfic, set in an inverted 'Cindrella' AU. Not that I'm too sure if that is the exact definition. Please read and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome characters of Gintama, I only own my telling of the story.**

 **Chapter 1: The Prince Who Did Paperwork**

High stacks of paper were piled on a desk, obscuring the person behind them from view. Bright sunlight filtered through the diamond paned windows. The walls were hidden behind gilded cabinets, which held mysterious implements of torture and pain that no one ever wished to see. The floors were richly carpeted and a grand title was carved into the entrance, announcing the rank of the person behind the desk, resignedly doing paperwork.

Okita Sougo cursed the huge piles of documents in front of him for the millionth time. He devoutly wished he could just gather them all up and dump them straight into the nearest fireplace. Or better, to just slice off the heads of the duo who had given the papers to him in the first place. And blow up the whole room with his favorite bazooka. For he and everyone else, knew that it was just a rotten facade.

Okita Sougo was, in title, the third and youngest prince of the kingdom of Edo. However, he actually had no connections by blood to the former king or to his 2 sons, who now ruled the kingdom together. He was the heir of the Bushuu dukedom on the outskirts of Edo. But after the tragic death of his only relative and older sister, Mitsuba, when he was a small child, he had been adopted by the former king, Yoshida Shouyou and brought up as the third prince of the kingdom of Edo. Which was merely an illusion. In reality, Sougo was treated no better than a privileged retainer. He was given the duty of leading the police force Shinsengumi and also the rank of Commander. But the only duties he discharged were to break up petty fights in the capital, review endless piles of useless documents and to take the blame of his step-brothers' deeds.

Sougo briefly contemplated sneaking away and taking a stroll through the town, but he knew that Takasugi and Zura would definitely have his head for it. But hell, who cared anymore, it might just add a little spark in the horribly monotonous life he led. Just then, the door slid open and a plain looking officer, who was named Yamazaki, entered with the message that the kings wished for his presence.

"And why, Yamazaki? Do I have to take responsibility for another territorial infringement? Or is it because of overflowing brotherly love?"

Yamazaki flinched at the harsh sarcasm in Sougo's words and tone, but he couldn't blame him for it. Takasugi and Katsura, Shouyou's sons and the current rulers, had always given their young stepbrother more than enough cause for bitterness. Bowing, he replied," No, sir, I believe it has something to do with a grand event that is arriving soon. I'm sure you'll find out if you meet them…"

Sougo pursed his lips, cursing a long list of people under his breath. Throwing a dark leather jacket over his black and gold Shinsengumi uniform, he picked up his gold edged katana and went with Yamazaki to the magnificent throne room.

Two men were lounging on the thrones, resplendent in royal finery. One, with dark purplish hair with a bandage wrapped around his left eye, smoked a kiseru. The other had long, silky black hair, and was looking over a gilt edged scroll, his eyes gleaming with mad excitement. At Sougo's entrance, they looked up briefly, an expression of sheer contempt the only common feature on their widely varying countenances.

"There you are, _little brother_. Done with the paper work, I presume?" Takasugi drawled out, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No, I'm not done. Still, you guys must be pretty terrible rulers to let these many complaints accumulate, am I right, Zura?"

" _It's not Zura, it's Katsura!_ How many times do I have to tell you that?!"

"Stop it, Zura. Let Sougo say it. After all, the poor fellow must be rather frustrated at having practically no value, despite being called a prince and all."

"Prince? Really, he is just some brat that your father, the former king picked up. Please do not attach so much importance to him, Takasugi-sama," cooed Matako, one of Takasugi's numerous flatterers. Sougo merely gritted his teeth and wordlessly swallowed the insults, he had got used to them by now. No one was ever going to accept him as he was, so why bother about it and get hurt over and over?

"Is that the only reason you called me here? To indulge in royal mockery? If so, I'll send Zaki over with a figurine of mine that you can toy with. Now excuse me, I'll be off to read all that rubbish you've so kindly sent me."

" You're as harsh as ever, Sougo. You should be grateful that we've called you up here in order to discuss such an important affair concerning the wellbeing of our kingdom." Katsura intervened coldly, looking slightly angered. Clearing his throat, he continued," The Rakuyou kingdom, which lies just past our boundaries, is conducting an wedding ball for their sole princess, Kagura. All worthy suitors possessing royal blood are hereby invited."

"And as since her older brother and crown prince Kamui, has disappeared, she is set to be the next ruler of her kingdom. In other words, whoever marries her is set to become the next king of Rakuyou, the most powerful empire in the continent."

Sougo lifted his eyebrows in mock surprise. He knew where Takasugi and Katsura were going with this. Ever since Shouyou's death, they had been fixated on making Edo the strongest nation in the whole world. They were prepared to use any dirty trick that occurred to them and to crush anyone who even thought of opposing them. It was clear that they planned to use the Rakuyou princess and her power by wooing and wedding her. Now it was only a matter of whether they could get the girl to marry one of them or not. Measuring his words carefully, he asked," Well, so what do I have to do with your grand scheme of plans? Are you planning to make me go as a suitor too?", hoping against hope that they were. Even if they weren't, at least he'd be able to attend the ball and have some fun, with princes who were masochistic enough to satisfy the Prince of the planet of sadists…

"Sorry to break the castle you're building in the air, Sougo. I and Zura will definitely be going as suitors, and you're going to keep an eye over the castle and inspect the army in our absence. So stop fantasizing about attending the ball. Who'd even want a pretend prince like you?" Takasugi smirked mockingly, enjoying the controlled rage in the claret red eyes which were glaring at him. Zura spoke up as Sougo turned on his heels and marched out, "Where do you think you're going so abruptly? Have you no sense of respect?"

"I think I told you, o most honorable, respectable and utterly incapable kings, that I'm off to finish the paperwork."

Behind him, Takasugi crushed his kiseru to tiny bits and the scroll Katsura held in his hands was now torn into little fragments.

"YOU BASTARD PRINCE!"

 **A/N: So there ends the first chapter! This is my first time writing a multi-chapter fic and I do hope it's turning out well. I'm sorry for all OOC-ness. Please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you please, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 2: The Princess who did not want the Prince of her dreams**

Meanwhile, far away, in the heart of the Kingdom of Rakuyou, there lived a princess who was currently very much unhappy about the upcoming royal ball. Kagura had thrown a most unprincess-like tantrum when she had first heard about the proposed ball, which was about the same time the beautifully handwritten invitations were posted. She had refused to eat, shouted, locked her door and in general, had done everything in her power to show her unequivocal opposition and make her protest heard. But her father, Umibozu had absolutely refused to budge from his decision, telling her that it was time she found the ideal prince, the prince of her dreams, marry and settle down. In other words, it was time for her to stop her daily adventures of roaming around the kingdom in fantastic disguises, challenging every knight she met to a duel and become a responsible and caring wife, a mature adult and a capable queen.

And Kagura wanted none of that. Ever since her mother Kouka, had fallen ill, the sweet, conventional, dreamy princess within her had taken backstage. It was all she could do not to cry in front of her mother, as she watched her elder brother and father rapidly fall apart, both leaving home without notice for long periods of time. Kamui was probably never going to come back, even if she got married and her bald dad had only returned a year ago. And now, he was trying to fix her life and get her to settle down. Many a time, she felt like saying," You idiot Baldy, if you really cared that much, why the hell didn't you come back when we needed you? I'm no longer the little girl that wanted an ideal prince and I refuse to stop being a tomboy and transform into a puppet queen!" Though she only voiced the last part once.

Kagura knew perfectly well what all the suitors wooing her were after. They simply wanted the title of the King of Rakuyou and all the power that came with it. Once she married, she'd no longer have any real power and the real authority of royalty would rest solely with an idiot king, who'd never truly love her, who'd always consider her inferior and who'd be extremely, extremely _boring_. She was so definitely _not_ going to marry.

At present, she had barricaded herself in the bedroom, as a continuation of her 'silent' protest. She could hear the dinner gong sounding for the final time as her stomach emitted an earthshaking rumble, indicating just how hungry she was. The princess who never took less than 6 servings per meal was now restraining herself from even going down to the dinner table. _How ironic,_ she thought.

Just then, there was a polite knock on her door. A slightly gruff voice, with a drawl, called out," Hime sama, are ya in there? It's me, Tsukuyo. Open the door now, will ya? I've got something ta talk about with ya."

Kagura opened the door with curiosity, eager to know what her favorite caretaker, Tsukuyo, or Tsukky, as she called her affectionately, had to say. Moreover, she didn't want to make the Moon courtesan angry. Her face lit up when she saw that Tsukuyo had also brought along several plates, laden with her favorite food along with her. She immediately let the older woman in, her eyes sparkling at the sight of food.

For over three-quarters of an hour, there was near silence in the room, except for the sound of the princess loudly chewing her food or more appropriately, inhaling it. Tsukuyo watched with a small smile, everyone in the castle was attached to the princess, despite her childish behavior and pranks. You could even say that they loved her the more for it. They knew why the princess was so against getting married, but how could they make the king understand that?

Finally, as Kagura swallowed the last of her food, Tsukuyo took a long drag from her kiseru, before speaking," So, Hime sama, have ya made up yer mind not ta attend tha ball?"

" Ne, Tsukky, don't call me Hime sama, I told you, call me Kagura. You know you don't need to be formal in the slightest around me. And yes, I've decided, I'm not going to the ball. I've no interest in marrying those princes who'll flock there."

"I know that, Kagura. An' that's why I came ta talk to ya as an elder sister, an' as a friend. Ya know, an' I know tha' all tha men round here are just after power. They consider women like us inferior an' powerless. Most likely, tha person yer bald dad wants ya to marry will appear a 'perfect' prince and yet, he'll be no one ya can ever confide in and he won't be round if ya happen ta need him."

"As you know that, Tsukky, then what would you advise me to do? Surely you support my decision, right?"

"I won't say tha' I support it, yanno. Don't look at me with those eyes, Kagura and listen ta me. Some say tha' matches are made in high heaven, but I say they're made in human hearts. Ya never know, really, amidst all those glassy princes, there mighta be a dusty diamond hiding among them. It mayn't look beautiful at firs' sight, but polish with love an' it'll sparkle brighta than tha Sun an' tha Moon. And that'll be tha gem yer searching fer. So, I'd say, go to tha ball, who knows, maybe ya'll find what ya seek there."

"Tsukky! I never said I was searching for someone! And what if I don't find him an-and make a choice I'll regret forever?"

"It's okay, Kagura. I know ya want someone to stand by ya, someone who'll never leave ya, like that idiot bro and dad of yours. And ya mayn't hafta search fer him, he'll find ya himself. And don't ever worry about making a wrong choice, fer you've always got us ta watch yer back. So, attend the ball, will ya? And show those spoilt princes tha they ain't gonna be marrying a doll, they'll be marrying a determined, stubborn and dirty-mouthed warrior. Goodnight, then Kagura."

And Tsukuyo gently patted the younger woman's hair, with an almost motherly smile, before taking away the empty dishes and softly closing the door behind her. Kagura stared after her, her mind filled with confused thoughts.

Trying to clear her head, she stepped out onto the balcony, breathing in the fresh air. Gazing at the crescent moon, which seemed to smile at her, she asked the heavens and also herself," I wonder, will I really find that diamond I'm seeking at the ball? Mami, I wish you were here… But if I do, I'll always treasure it and never let it go! I'll definitely show those princes the true girl they're gonna marry, uh huh." And feeling a lot better, Kagura, back to her merry, lively self, gently patted her giant dog Sadaharu and whispered her prayer to the heavens, hoping that her Mami would hear it.

 **A/N: And there ends the second chapter. The next chapter is going to be about the ball, where Sougo and Kagura first meet! Goodness, I can't wait to write it,** **and I hope you too are eager to read it! As always, comments, reviews, favorites, anything and everything is very much welcome!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A Tale of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 3: The Wedding Ball**

Kagura smiled at her reflection in the mirror, tilting her head to observe the effect of light on her vermillion hair, which was let loose from its bun for once. Behind her, her retainers Tae, Tsukuyo and Tama worked on her flowing ball gown with a few beautiful lace frills and bows. It was a very simple one that reached down to her ankles, wrapping around her petite body. In fact, it hardly required the attention it was getting from the three retainers, but they insisted that their princess had to look _flawless_ and thus would stop at nothing that wasn't absolute perfection. Kagura shrugged in resignation as she heard Tae mildly scolding Sarutobi about a tiny delay in fetching a bouquet, apparently, she was to carry a bouquet of roses to the ball. It was a part of royal etiquette or whatever, she usually never bothered about those things.

Finally, the bouquet was fetched and she was about to take it up, when Tsukuyo interrupted, " Wait a bit, Kagura. Tha don't go as well with ya as this, yanno. Ya look better carrying yer umbrella than some girly bouquet."

Tama smiled and said," Kagura sama, I also feel so. Please be yourself at the ball, without any false airs of high society. After all, it is important that the man you choose loves you for who you truly are."

Otae put in wisely," All men are idiots, Kagura chan. Sometimes you need to traumatize them before they can accept something. So, show them who they think they'll be marrying. And if they treasure you for those very reasons, then they aren't idiots, and you'll know that you've found something special."

"What are you saying, Anego, it's probably those men that'll be the biggest idiots of all! "

And thus with a merry laugh on her lips, the princess of Rakuyou, accompanied by her attendants, stepped out onto the carpeted staircase that snaked into the golden ball room.

At about the same time, the third prince of Edo too descended a staircase, but it was one snaking through an empty, desolate castle, dim lit and eerily quiet.

Sougo sighed in frustration as he walked aimlessly down the staircase. Takasugi and Zura had departed for the ball an hour or so ago, while he was left to rot alone in the castle. He didn't believe a lot in God, life had never given him much goodwill to do so, but at that moment, a silent prayer fell from his lips. He wished more than anything, just to be able to attend the ball, to enjoy the glittering lights and exotic food… lastly to woo the princess, make her his slave and overthrow Takasugi and Zura from their thrones and laugh as they were forced to bow before him… Well, maybe that was his dearest wish. But what did it matter? None of it was going to come true…

Suddenly, a silvery light burst in front of him. Sougo stopped, dazed, wondering if it was one of Zura's flash bombs. But what met his dazzled eyes was a silver haired man, with bored eyes eerily similar to dead fishes, wearing a white suit with a red rose in his buttonhole. He held a magician's hat and wand. Sougo knew that he had to be hallucinating right now. There was no way a weird 'phantom' or 'magician' or anything like that would appear in front of him out of nowhere, right?

"Oi, you idiot, where are you staring? I'm not a ghost or anything as ugly as that. Ah, I forgot you don't know who I am. I'm Gintoki Sakata, your fairy godfather."

" _My what_?! Are you joking? Or, wanna get sliced up by my sword? I'm _not_ in the mood to play around."

"Hey, is that any way you treat someone who comes to help you? It's not like I want to be a godfather to a brat like you either, Souichirou-kun! Now, pipe down and listen!"

Sougo decided to give his 'fairy godfather' a chance, but wondered how was it that the guy was who he claimed to be and yet didn't know his correct name.

Gintoki began, looking slightly solemn, "You want to go to that ball, don't you? I can arrange that, with a flick of my hands, but there's a condition. You'll have to return at the very instant when the clock strikes 12, no matter what promise you happen to make, no matter what. And all the dreams you'll see will only be for a night, not a second longer than that. Still, will you take the gift? You'll be losing it soon enough."

"I don't care, I'll take it. And if I lose it, I'll fight to bring it back, no matter what a half asleep fairy godfather says." His red eyes glittered with anticipation and a steely resolve which made Gintoki smile.

"You know, you'll find something precious at the ball. Now, go have fun." And he lazily waved his hand, causing a grand silver carriage pulled by four snowy white horses emerge out of thin air. Then he directed his index finger and Sougo, almost lazily. In an instant, the casual white dress shirt and dark pants he was wearing transformed into a snowy white shirtwaist, accompanied a black coat beautifully embellished with gold and silver threads. Sougo whistled, examining his new attire and ride, it was exactly his style. His esteem for Gintoki rose quite a bit. Tilting his head in gratitude towards the older man, he pulled himself into the carriage, which then practically began flying to its destination.

Meanwhile, at the ball, Umibozu had just concluded his ceremonial address. Desirous of creating a good impression with their possible future father in law, none of the princes had fallen asleep or showed any signs of boredom, all listening with glassy eyes. Kagura, on the other hand, had used the time to take a good look at her prospective suitors. They were all handsome enough, but except a few, there were none who were truly striking. Of course, there were some superbly ugly guys as well, such as Prince Hata, who hailed from some distant land. Ugh, she was so definitely not going to marry him. The number of guests had surprised her, and she wasn't too happy, for she'd have to dance with each one of them. Well, she'd just traumatize them enough so that they wouldn't bother her again. A wicked grin spread across her face. Contrary to what she had thought a few days back, this was going to be fun.

The first victim to suffer was Zura. Determined to upstage Takasugi, he had marched regally up to the beautiful princess and had politely asked for her hand in a dance. Kagura agreed politely enough and they began to dance.

"So, Hime sama, what are your interests? I'm a skilled hand at card games and swordsmanship myself."

" Hmm, I like eating pickled seaweed, eggs over rice and any dish that Anego makes. I also procure my own meals sometime by killing the monsters in the Haunted forests, they have a unique flavor! Ne, Zura san, you look rather sick? Oh, are you hungry? Let's get some food then!" And the devilish princess promptly but sweetly took the hapless man over to a table presided by Tae, where he was served a plateful of dark matter and death as an appetizer. As Zura tried his best to hang on to dear life, the dainty princess nimbly waltzed away, her eyes shining brilliantly with pure mischief as several others quaked in terror.

Next in line of execution was Bansai, the prince of Harmonia, a land renowned for its musicians. Bansai talked to the girl on a wide variety of musical subjects, hoping to impress her, which princess didn't appreciate music? But she simply picked her nose in boredom, before offering to sing a song just for him. The poor prince soon ascended to heaven, a wreck of his former self, within 10 minutes of being in close range of Kagura's 'unique' singing. At this point, a few princes actually fled the hall in terror. Takasugi watched interestedly, it was obvious that wooing this princess required a few different tactics. He chose to approach next, smoking his kiseru.

Kagura frowned at the man before her. No doubt he was extremely suave and handsome, but it was the beauty of a dangerous beast. She put herself on guard. Faking a smile, she accepted his offer to dance. Takasugi felt successful, he had got the girl to dance with him, something no one else had been able to do that evening.

But, as they say, the greatest disasters always hide behind a sweet success. For Kagura's idea of dancing was practically spinning, twirling and jumping at tremendous speeds, without a pause. And it hardly helped that the musicians played songs with speeds matching and even surpassing hers. After just a few minutes of dancing, totally led by Kagura, Takasugi wanted nothing more than to stop. To him, death seemed imminent and all plans of becoming Rakuyou's king seemed worthless and futile. Finally, when the song ended, he rapidly excused himself, Kagura agreeing good humouredly, with such a sweet smile that Takasugi could himself not believe that this was the devil tormenting him a few moments earlier.

Umibozu felt like pulling out what hair he had left. However was his only daughter going to find a suitable marriage if she behaved like the devil incarnate?! And wasn't there any prince that could handle her? Just as the thought crossed his mind, the doors of the ballroom swung wide open, revealing an extremely handsome young man, with sandy hair that sparkled like gold, illuminated by numerous lights and ruby red eyes similarly sparkling with sadism and relish.

 **A/N: And there ends the third chapter! Sougo and Kagura are going to get to know each other in the next chapter and knowing those two, it'll sure be something fiery! I apologize for not making them interact in this chapter, I felt it was better to end this on a note of suspense! Many thanks to Akely and Garugadot for reviewing and I hope you liked this chapter too! And yes, Kamui will show up later and our super sadistic duo will also dance with each other soon.**

 **Please , feel free to send comments, reviews, favorites, anything, it's all very much welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 4: I hate you so much that I think I might just fall in love with you**

For a moment, total silence prevailed in the ball room as everyone stared at the dashing latecomer in surprise. Sougo smirked, fully enjoying the attention, he had probably made the best entrance possible. He noticed Takasugi and Katsura in the background, far too stunned to say a word. Sougo noted mentally that Zura was looking like he was about to puke and Takasugi seemed about as stable as someone who had been spun in a giant ferris wheel for a year. Silently congratulating the person responsible for their undoing, he stepped forward regally, daring anyone to question his lateness. _Oh boy_ , he thought, _having a regal attire gives you some power. Am I having fun now! Ah, is that the princess, she looks just like a fragile China doll. Well, maybe she'll be a good slave…_

And so, devilish thoughts running amok in his mind, he approached Kagura, with one of his smoothest smiles. "Princess, may I have a dance?"

"You may, gallant prince." _Hmmph, his face is too darned annoying! You think you're so handsome and maybe you are, but I know perfectly well that you're a fox in a lamb's skin! But two can play at that game, uh huh._

Sparks seemed to light up in their eyes, as they rapidly planned the most devilish tricks they could pull on each other, while maintaining perfect court manners. Sougo took the alabaster hand offered to him, gliding onto the dance floor with the princess. Almost all princes present there smirked, they felt pity for the dashing young man who would soon be reduced to a wreck of his former self.

The moment the song started, Kagura pulled her partner into a dizzying spin, smiling mockingly, expecting the young man to give up as the kiseru smoking guy before him had. But she was definitely _not_ expecting him to twirl her even faster, hardly allowing her to catch her breath. Amazed at the fact that he hadn't shown any signs of passing out yet, she upped the tempo, wondering whether it would do the trick.

To say Sougo was taken aback was an understatement. Here was a girl who showed no signs of collapsing at the speed he spun and lifted her. In fact, she was even raising the bar, matching him with apparent ease. And so he chose the same strategy as she had, he too danced faster. Beginning to feel dizzy, Kagura brought her heel down on his feet, causing him to involuntarily hiss in pain. But instead of stopping, Sougo pulled her nearer, so that she could no longer kill his feet without falling and making a fool of herself. The two of them were extremely close to each other now, moving at a swiftness stretching human boundaries, their eyes shining with a fierce spirit of competition and enjoyment. They were the only ones dancing now, all the other couples had fled the dance floor, fearful of the sadistic duo. The music kept getting wilder, and for the pair, it no longer felt like dancing, it was more like flying. And they were secretly loving every bit of it.

The song finally ended in a thrilling fiesta of notes, as the pianist struck all the keys in a fitting ending. Tsukuyo, Otae , Tama and the other spectators who had been watching with bated breath burst out into applause, beaming, for they had an intuition that their beloved princess had finally found the diamond she had been searching for. Takasugi and Zura, who felt dizzy just by watching remained mute with frustration and extreme annoyance. The other princes shared their sentiments to a large extent, for they could sense that the princess was already far away from their grasp now. But, (un)fortunately, there was nothing that they could do now.

Both Kagura and Sougo were flushed red with exhaustion, panting hard. They still hadn't let go of each other, though it was more because they were too dizzy to stand without support than because they had suddenly discovered a strong attachment to each other. Sougo looked down at the princess in front of him, highly impressed, she was the first girl who could keep up with him for an entire song. Hell, she might even have beaten him if it had gone on any longer, though he'd die before he admitted it. He found her flushed face, framed by vermillion hair curling into her shoulders highly cute. Her eyes were a startling shade of azure, as blue as a summer sky and they possessed a spirit he had never seen in any other princess.

Meanwhile, the girl too was staring at the man who was holding her by her waist. She wanted to tell him to take his hands off her, but deep down, she was actually rather enjoying it. This guy wasn't like one of those no-good princes she had traumatized before, but damn, he was an extreme sadist! Not to mention that she really disliked him by now… But she had to admit that his looks at least were something she'd never forget. Silky sandy hair as well groomed as Sadaharu's fur and claret red eyes as intoxicating as the strongest wine…

Just then, an ominous cough from Umibozu made the duo realize the awkward position they were in and they both let go of each other immediately. Kagura threw an appealing look at Tsukuyo and her other 'elder sisters', for she hardly thought of them as mere retainers, who gave her a united thumbs up before coolly proceeding to break up the sudden stickiness. In a few moments, the ball regained its liveliness and it was as if nothing had taken place before. Meanwhile, Kagura marched towards the dining table, the continuous dancing had left her feeling very hungry. Sougo accompanied her, limping slightly thanks to the severe injury she had inflicted on his hapless foot. He watched, slightly bemused, as she began to devour every item within her sight. In half a minute, she had already downed a couple of helpings of stew, rice, and what not.

"Hey China, are you seriously a human being or a humanoid pig? Did your dad never feed you in your whole life? Seriously, I never knew that a princess could be such a glutton."

"What the hell did you say, you Sadist?! And who're you calling China?"

"You, of course. Or is it too complicated a thing for your empty skull to understand? Besides, you seem to have no problems calling me a sadist."

"That's because you are one, uh huh! And how dare you insult me? I'll blast you to outer space with my umbrella!"

" You'd still be dreaming of doing that when I cut you up with my katana, China."

"I said, _don't_ call me China! My name is Kagura! Are you deaf as well as sadistic?"

"I'm not. Now hand me over that plate of chicken. I'm seriously hungry."

"Oi, who do you think you're ordering around? I'm not your personal slave!" But she handed over the plate nevertheless.

"Not yet, but you'll be soon. That way, both of us will get what we're searching for, right? You need a husband and I need a masochistic slave-ahem, wife. And since we have hated each other from first sight, it won't be too boring either."

"So you're just the same as all those guys, huh. And I thought you'd be a bit different… Look for a masochistic slave elsewhere, Sadist. I don't need a damned husband that bad." Kagura made to go away, azure eyes shimmering with water. Sougo simply watched her back diminish as she slowly disappeared from his sight, his red eyes unreadable.

Kagura gazed up at the moonlit sky, shivering as the biting wind attacked her exposed shoulders. She had rushed to the garden, uncaring of whether anyone noticed her leave or not. She just wanted some time to herself.

 _All the princes are the same… They only love the crown of the king of Rakuyou, not me. Not even that sadist… And he was the only prince who wasn't traumatized by me, the only guy I found remotely interesting, damn it all, I hate him, I really hate him!_

Just then, she felt something cozy being wrapped around her shoulders, protecting her from the fierce wind. She spun around in surprise to see none other than the said sadist standing beside her, his face as deadpan as ever. He was only dressed in a silk shirt now, having given his coat to her. Looking up to see her bemused eyes, Sougo sighed, "What the hell, China? You'll be catching a cold, running about like this. Beating a sick baby is no fun, you know."

"You won't ever beat me, even if I'm sick! And what the hell are you doing here, Sadist? I _told_ you I don't want-"

"Neither do I, for your information. I thought about it and I realized that I'd rather have a hated rival than a passive, submissive, masochistic puppet of a wife, even if she brought along the crown of the strongest kingdom as dowry. And you don't need to marry any of those fools either. If you're truly are as spunky as you claim, then you can rule your kingdom by yourself."

Kagura stared at the man in front of her, her cheeks reddening as her heart began a weird roller coaster ride in her chest. Suddenly, she smiled widely, flashing her trademark shit-eating grin.

"Of course I can! Men are all idiots, whoever needs them, anyway? And next time we meet, I'm going to beat you to a pulp, Sadist."

"In your dreams, piggy. But why wait for next time? Let's have a dance-off right now, if you aren't too scared."

Kagura glared at him, accepting the challenge. How she hated the damn sadist. But she liked him a bit too, just a teensy-weensy, microscopic, infinitesimally small bit. Okay, she thought, maybe not _so_ small, as her heart began pounding again when he took her hand in his.

And the clock began chiming. It rang 12 times, in rapid succession. It was midnight.

 **A/N: So there ends the fourth chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it! Special thanks to Akely, Irene and Dani for reviewing and to everyone reading this story, you're what keeps me going! I'll be updating again pretty soon, hopefully. As ever, please feel free to send comments, reviews, favorites, anything, it's all very much welcome!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 5: Rivals Never Break Their Promises**

Sougo froze on the spot as the clock chimed 12 tones in rapid succession. The girl beside him hardly shared his shock, at most, she was startled that it had somehow got so late. Time really had flown. Suddenly, she felt Sougo let go of her hand, turning to go away.

"Sadist? Hey, where're you going, Sadist?!"

On receiving no reply, she yelled again," SADIST! For goodness' sake, stop! Where are you going? Didn't you challenge me to a dance-off? Are you seriously running _away_ now?"

That seemed to get to him. He turned around and replied," Running away is for cowards, not me. And the challenge still stands, China, you can take my word for it. So why don't you get ready to lose? I've got to go now, but I'll be back to beat you hollow soon." And he disappeared into the night, leaving Kagura, still wearing his coat, all alone amidst the sleeping rose bushes.

As Sougo left the garden, he saw his fairy godfather standing at the gate. The carriage had returned back to thin air and his clothes had melted back into the plain outfit he had been wearing before. Gintoki looked at the young man, a slightly mysterious smile on his face.

"Ready to go back? Your dream of a night is over now. Time we wake up and face reality, Souichirou-kun."

"Shut up, _Danna,_ I'm already awake. Just let's go back now."

 _Yeah, I really am awake. It doesn't hurt this much in a dream. Hell, I'm a sadist, not a masochist, damn it! But that China girl… I don't mind leaving this ball and this facade of royalty, but why ever does the thought of leaving that girl alone bother me so much? She can take care of herself… no, maybe it's not about her, is it just that I never want to let go of her myself? I don't believe it, why do I have to feel like this about a girl I only met for a night? And I'm supposed to be the prince of the planet of Sadists, huh…_

Unconsciously pulling the coat around herself, Kagura bit her lips, trying to stop herself from crying. _So finally, the sadist went away too, huh? After Mami, baka-niichan, and Papi… Why am I always watching their backs disappear? I don't want to anymore… But why am I so upset at that idiot leaving? I hate him, don't I? When ever did I begin liking him? Papi said love begins in the bed, he never said anything about it beginning in an argument, uh huh! What the hell is wrong with me…_

Suddenly, she felt a strong, gentle hand being swung around her shoulders. Tsukuyo hugged the younger girl, her amethyst eyes offering Kagura the comfort that her words couldn't. Behind her stood Otae, and Tama, all of them with the same expression in their eyes as Tsukuyo.

"Ah, everyone, what are you all doing here?"

"We followed ya to see how things would go… but I never thought tha they would go this way."

"I know it's very hard, Kagura chan, to have your first love leave like this, but you don't have to hold back your tears." "Tae's right, yanno. Just cry into these shoulders when ya can't hold back anymore. Even if yer bald father never understands, we always will, 'kay?" "That's right, Kagura sama. We'll always be there for you. You'll never have to watch our backs disappear."

Kagura, who had been listening with a bowed head all this time, looked up at that. Her 'elder sisters' were surprised when they saw that she was smiling, her azure eyes totally dry of any tears.

"Thanks for everything, Tsukky, Anego, Tama. I know you'll never break your promise. And the same way, I know that the idiot sadist won't break his either. Rivals that hate each other never do, because it means that they have lost, uh huh. So this isn't goodbye at all, it's just a 'I'll beat the crap out of you when we meet again'. So, don't worry about me, 'kay? Because that'll really be making me upset, uh huh."

"Yanno, Kagura, yer Mami woulda been proud ta hear ya today. An' we're just as proud too. Don't ya worry too, ya'll soon love tha guy as much as ya hate him. Tha's true love fer ya."

Kagura blushed and pouted in reply, telling Tsukky that it was impossible and how she only liked fighting and beating the heck out of the guy, causing Tae to giggle about what a cute tsundere her little sister had become. Finally giving up, Kagura smiled a little as she gazed at the moon, murmuring a few inaudible words to herself.

 _Just you wait, Sadist. I'll find you and torment you to death for your entire life, so just be prepared. Oh and I admit I do like you a bit, just an_ _infinitesimally_ _small bit, though you'll never hear it from my lips, never._

Meanwhile, Gintoki dropped Sougo off in front of the palace doors. Just as he began to leave, he asked quietly," So, Sougo-kun, no regrets? You may just have left behind something rather important. Want an end to that pain inside of you?"

"What pain? You sure are a crazy old geezer, Danna. Real sadists don't leave behind their favorite toys, don't you know that? And they always keep their promises. And if I can't even win a single challenge or keep a single promise, then I might as well get down on my knees before Zura and Bakasugi." Gintoki sighed and shrugged on hearing his words, though his eyes definitely smiled. When Sougo turned around for one last time, his godfather was nowhere to be seen.

The next morning, in the dining hall of the Rakuyou castle,

Umibozu and Kagura sat at the huge table, which was piled with more than enough food to last an entire fort for a long siege, but just enough to fill the black holes that the royal father and daughter had for stomachs. Tsukuyo, Tae and the other maids of honor waited upon them. In the distance, they could hear the purr of Tama's vacuum cleaner as she singlehandedly cleaned the entire castle. Sadaharu barked happily for another helping of bones beneath the dining table. In all, it was a pretty usual day at the castle. Or it would have been if not for the nervously expectant face of the bald King.

"Ne, Baldy, are you really alright? You look like you've constipation. You probably drank too much yesterday, uh huh."

"No, Kagura chan, it is not that! Though I did drink a lot yesterday, heh heh… But you haven't told me anything about what you decided yesterday… Did you, um, find a prince you would, well, settle down with, ahem, I meant-"

"Seriously Baldy, stop it. You want to know if I have decided to marry anyone or not, right?"

"Yes, that's it! So, Kagura chan, have you? Wait, don't tell, let Daddy guess. Was it Prince Bansai? No, you're totally tone-deaf, so that wouldn't, no- please forgive me! Or, could it be Takasugi or Zura-kun from Edo? You seemed to get along pretty well… But it couldn't be Prince Hata, right?"

Umibozu had to halt his guessing right there because at that precise moment, Kagura grabbed her umbrella and smashed him waist deep into the floor.

"Baldy, I know that you have lost all your hair, but have you lost your eyes as well? Or is it that you want to lose your life soon?" The darkly murderous aura surrounding Kagura made Umibozu conclude that asking any more would definitely be fatal and that his daughter could be even scarier than her mother was. Though hopefully she wouldn't inherit his stupidity.

Later that morning, the princess could be seen playing around in the garden, accompanied by her 'elder sisters'. The women talked as they walked about, mainly about what had been brought up at breakfast.

"So, Kagura chan, I think it's pretty much settled that you're going to marry Sadist-kun. No, dear, don't deny it. But, we really do have to plan a little more, don't we?"

"I think, Tae, tha we'd better start by knowing where he comes from or if he's even a prince. Not tha' it matters much, though. But do ya know his name, Kagura? Sadist can't be his real name, yanno."

"Huh? Wait, I don't know his name! I've just called him Sadist all along…And because he arrived so late, no one introduced him and we only fought with each other… However will I know who he really is now?!"

"Whoever he might be, he is worthy enough if he can keep his promise, Kagura sama. And don't worry, I'll do my best to find out his real name. There might be some clue in the invitation cards for they were personally addressed. Excuse me, I'll go and check them now."

Kagura stared after Tama, various thoughts jumbled up inside her mind, like a family of cats, all chasing their tails… However, the predominant thought was _WHAT THE HELL. I'm thinking of marrying a crazy sadist and I don't even know his damned name. Mami, I think I inherited a bit of Papi's stupidity._

Meanwhile, in the throne room of the castle of Edo…

Takasugi and Zura glared down at their younger step brother, who stood in front of them, glaring back.

"Sougo, I clearly remember that you were commanded to stay back at the castle. And yet you dared disobey us and attend the ball and furthermore, ruin all our plans of wooing the Rakuyou princess. Do you want your head chopped off?!"

"What, you say _I_ ruined your chances, Zura? But I think that they were pretty much ruined long before I even arrived. China tortured you too hollow, didn't she, Takasugi? Will you blame me for that too? My my, how your ancestors would hang their heads to see their 'great and royal' descendants getting their asses handed to them by a girl a decade younger than them."

Takasugi, having better self-control than Zura, took a long drag from his kiseru instead of shouting nonsense like his brother. But his green eyes, gleaming like that of a mad beast, showed how much Sougo's taunt had got to him. Smirking dangerously, he said," But that same girl seemed to like you quite a lot, didn't she? Do you really think that I'm not aware of your plans to snatch away our crown by wedding that girl? How do you plan to answer to that?"

"True enough, that was my original plan. But _what_ are you going to do about it, _big brother_? Take away my title? My post as Shinsengumi commander? I'll give those façades to you any day. It'll at least spare me from all that boring paperwork."

"Don't worry, _little brother_. I'll be taking those away all right. But in addition, I'll also take away everything that you've ever wanted to protect in your life. Let's say, for example, the citizens of Bushuu. I've just received a message from the royal army that they've got everything ready. Now, one word from me and that pathetic town will only be a pile of ashes, not unlike your sister. Then, if that isn't sufficient, how about the Shinsengumi? If you don't care about them, then I'll just give orders for their execution. Or that China girl. She might just be assassinated by a stray Shinobi, it happens all the time! Now, what about it? Oh, and if you attack me, I'll make all my threats come true."

" _What the hell do you want, Takasugi?"_

"Nothing much, really. But that you're going to become our servant, starting from this very instant. Yo Zura, you approve?"

" _It's not Zura, it's Katsura_. And I approve of it heartily."

Blood dripped from Sougo's fists as his nails dug into them ferociously. But if it was a choice between his pride and his people, then he realized that his conscience would never give him an option. Not to mention, there was China too…

And so the prince of Sadists bowed his head even as his katana was taken away from him, the laughter of his step-brothers ringing in his ears.

 **A/N: And there ends the fifth chapter. Seriously, it's depressing me to separate Sougo and Kagura, but I promise the next chapter will be a happier one. After all, there's no way a fairy tale can end without a romantic reunion of the hero and heroine** **! :)**

 **Many thanks to Akely and Bereftsoul for reviewing and also to everyone else who read this story! Please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you like, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 6: It's The Things That Are Right In Front Of You That Are The Hardest To Spot.**

A round table conference was currently underway in Kagura's room. Kagura, Tsukuyo, Tae and Tama were busily planning of ways to locate the Sadist, as they referred to him, for they had no inkling of his real name. Tama had run a search through lists of royal families, but had found near to no clues as to who he was or where he hailed from. Tae suggested issuing a royal announcement seeking the whereabouts of the Sadist, along with a picture of him. But everyone vetoed it unanimously when they saw the picture Kagura had drawn of him. At present, they were truly caught in the horns of a dilemma.

Kagura chewed her sukonbu as she mused deeply, not paying much attention. She had an idea, but she knew that the older women would never hear of it and moreover, she didn't want to tell them. Finally the discussion adjourned when Tsukuyo looked at the clock and declared that it was already an hour past Kagura's bedtime and imperiously sent everyone to bed like a mother hen. Before leaving herself, she tucked up the princess in bed, knowing that the girl loved being pampered like a small child, despite her being over 15 years of age. She smiled at the sleeping girl before leaving and said softly," Ya don't hafta worry. We'll find tha idiot fer ya. So don't think of doing anything too reckless, 'kay?" She then left, hoping that the girl would heed her advice.

Half an hour after Tsukuyo had left, and the palace was filled with an absolute silence, a certain red haired princess crept out of bed, got dressed in her favorite red cheongsam, did her hair up two side buns and began packing a small travel bag. Kagura ignored the little prick of guilt she felt at disobeying Tsukky's words, for she was about to do something that was the ultimate definition of reckless. She was going to run away at night, with only Sadaharu for company, and she was going to find the sadist herself. It didn't matter if she had to scour 10 kingdoms or the whole continent, she would do it. Because she had a cold feeling deep within her that the Sadist was in serious trouble. But she would never admit it, not even to herself, that she was actually going out of sheer anxiety, the reason she gave herself and also Sadaharu, was that it had been too long since her last escapade and that they both needed some fresh air. The dog, of course, knew better than to believe his mistress.

Kagura noiselessly opened the large French windows, tiptoeing out with utmost caution, followed by her equally cautious dog. All she took with her was the jacket Sougo had given her and which she wore over her cheongsam, as it was cold and _definitely not_ because it smelled like him, her purple parasol and a small purse of gold for any emergency purchases, such as a midnight snack. Closing the windows, she climbed on to her giant dog's back and Sadaharu leaped over the balcony, running at top speed, landing with padded paws onto the palace roof. In almost no time, they had cleared the palace gates and were silently rushing through the city streets, the wind roaring in their ears.

As the girl and her dog almost flew through the dark roads cutting through the woods on the border of the Rakuyou kingdom, Kagura noticed a shadow flicker amidst the trees, briefly silhouetted against the shining full moon. She pursed her lips, her eyes sparking in anticipation, it had been so long since the last time she had fought a real battle. Pulling out her umbrella, she aimed several powerful shots at the trees as she passed by, while instructing Sadaharu to go faster in an imperious whisper. It wasn't long before her pursuers made their moves in form of a hail of kunai, which she blasted away with her umbrella. Finally, the shinobi themselves emerged out of the shadows, forming an eerie circle around the duo.

"Resistance is futile, pretty princess. You may have some good fighting skills, but you are no match for us shinobi of Edo. Come meekly with us and we'll spare your life."

"Pretty princess? I'm sorry, you've got the wrong person. The girl standing before you is the _Demon Princess of Rakuyou_ , Kagura . It's _you_ who are no match for me."

And she charged at them, brandishing her umbrella, her face lit up with the fire of a fight. She dodged, leaped, shot, kicked, her azure eyes never losing their focus or determination. Within an hour, the group of shinobi were reduced to a bunch of ordinary, unconscious men, heavily bruised and beaten up. Kagura sighed, a little regretful, maybe she had gone a little overboard. Still, it was no more than they deserved for harassing a princess. As she handed over the jacket to Sadaharu, telling him to track down its scent, she reflected that she was probably never going to be a staid, respectable queen, no matter how much she tried.

The next morning, Kagura woke up to see that they had reached the gates of a new kingdom. Sadaharu barked, indicating that the scent went on through the place. Kagura grinned in relief, the plan was going smooth enough. Now all that was left was to find the sadist, no, it was more important, she decided, to first find a nourishing breakfast. And so she entered the gates, though not before allowing Sadaharu to chew up a guard who had refused to believe her story about being a traveler from Rakuyou. The first place she dropped by was a ramen store, where she ordered 10 large bowls of ramen and 5 bowls of meat for Sadaharu. Surprisingly enough, her hostess was hardly shocked, seeming used to weird customers. Kagura soon got into a friendly chat with Ikumatsu, for that was her name. She enquired about the royal family of Edo, for that was where she had arrived, its members, their names, anything that might tell her something about the Sadist. Ikumatsu happily told her about the two kings who ruled the kingdom and all their deeds and misdeeds. Finally, Kagura asked tentatively," Um, isn't here another member of the royal family? A _really_ sadistic guy with red eyes and sandy hair? A guy who is very rude, annoying and whom everyone dislikes?" Ikumatsu could only laugh at the description, saying," I think that the third prince, Okita sama fits the bill well enough. But, Kagura chan, have you come here all the way from Rakuyou to search for him? He can't be as bad as you say, if you take such hardships for him."

"He is even worse! I'm only searching for him because we've a score to settle, uh huh. It's not that I'm worried about him or anything like that!" exclaimed Kagura, blushing, totally unaware of how much of a tsundere she was being. Her hostess smilingly humored her, before telling her a few details about Sougo's past and what he did now.

Kagura listened carefully, feeling rather surprised. Who knew that the Sadist had had such a difficult life? Finally, when they finished their chat, Kagura paid Ikumatsu liberally for the food and told her with a big grin, "Don't worry about me getting into trouble with the idiot kings, Ikumatsu-neesan. I'll be fine, after all, I'm the heroine of this story! And thanks a lot for telling me such a lot , and also for all the food! Sadaharu and I will be back soon, so don't forget us!"

And the young lady left looking quite proud of herself, waltzing merrily down the path that led to the royal castle of Edo.

However, miles away, in another castle in Rakuyou, no one seemed to share their princess' merriment. In the morning, when it was found that both the princess and her dog had run away from the palace, there was a huge uproar, with everyone frantically searching for their mistress, Umibozu raging and roaring about his missing daughter and much more. Tsukuyo and Tae had finally got everyone to calm down a bit, when Tama rushed in, holding a note in Kagura's handwriting. A hush fell over the hall, as Umibozu took the note and began to read it aloud.

 _Dear Papi, Tsukky, Anego and Tama,_

 _I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly without a word to anyone, but it seems to be the best way before me. I'm taking Sadaharu with me, because I'm the only one who knows the brand of dog food he adores. But, don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I find what I'm searching for. And Papi, don't worry, I'll get married and settle down like you want me to, so just have patience till I return. And I didn't tell you yesterday morning, but I've found someone I intend to marry. I'm not sure if he's a prince or not, worse, he is an absolute idiot, not to mention, an extreme sadist and I really hate him, but I'm pretty sure life will be interesting with him. Tsukky, this is probably my last act of impulsiveness, so please don't get too mad at me. And everyone, please do not worry, I'll be coming home soon._

 _Kagura_

 _P.S.- I took some money out of the treasury, so don't worry about me stealing from anyone._

"The girl's grown up to be just like her mother… Well, maybe it would be better to let her go, but I won't! **Soldiers, find the bastard who has misled my innocent daughter** and-!"

" _Baldy, if ya don't want the little hair remaining on yer head ta disappear, I think it'll be better if ya shut it already."_

" _Indeed, Kagura chan has taken her decision. I think you should have faith in her and not create any more complications."_

" _Umibozu sama, hot headedness does not help. Please take your decisions calmly."_

Feeling a kunai, naginata and the blunt end of a mop pointed at the back of his neck, not to mention the murderous auras emitted by their wielders, Umibozu wisely decided to shut up.

Moving back to the palace of Edo,

BANG! BANG! Yamazaki jumped in fear on hearing the sounds, definite that someone was setting off bombs outside the palace. As he crept away from the doorway, where the sounds seemed to be coming from, he heard a voice yell," HEY! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN KNOCKING?" Wondering in which planet 'breaking down the door' was termed 'knocking', Yamazaki ran to open the door, prepared for imminent demise. But what met his eyes was hardly a scary monster or demon, it was just a pretty young girl. No, that wasn't true, there was a scary monster/demon right behind her. And it seemed to think that he, Yamazaki was a toy, considering how he kept chewing him.

Kagura strode into the palace with a regal air, ignoring the plain guy whom Sadaharu seemed to be playing with. She marched towards the throne room, to see Zura sitting there alone. It was pretty obvious that he was rather surprised to see her.

"The Princess of Rakuyou?! Hime sama, what an unexpected visit! I-I … may I know your reasons ?"

"I came to see the sadist, uh huh. Where is he now, Zura?"

"It's not Zura, it's Kat-"

"That's enough, Zura. Princess, welcome to Edo. I trust you had a safe journey? Incidentally, what about your retinue? Surely you haven't come alone…"

"Yes yes, Bakasugi-san, I've had quite a lively journey. Indeed, the people of Edo are rather unique. And I didn't come alone, can't you see I've got Sadaharu with me?"

Takasugi's eyes narrowed at her reply. He had not missed the way her blue eyes turned dangerously glacial the moment he had entered. She clearly knew something about the shinobi he had hired to shadow her. Unlike many others, he for one had heard rumors of the demonic strength of the Rakuyou clan, which they generally kept concealed. And for the princess of that very same kingdom to march in, unaccompanied and unhurt… the coming acts would definitely be highly interesting ones.

"Well, I apologize for overlooking your beloved pet, Hime sama. However, won't you give me a reason for your unannounced presence here? I cherish the hope that it has something to do with the royal ball where we first met."

"It has something to do with the ball, but nothing with you, uh huh. And I don't like court formalities, Takasugi-san, so you can drop them while addressing me. Now can you tell me where your sadistic youngest brother might be? I need to settle a challenge with him."

Unnoticed by her, a young man in servant's garb froze at the sight of her. His hands quivered as he watched the scene from the balcony that ran over the throne room. Sougo couldn't believe his eyes. China, naive, childish China had actually come to Edo for him? To fulfill the promise that _he_ was supposed to? What the hell was she even thinking? Just how stupid was she? Did she even have any idea of what she had walked into, that too all alone? And all she would get out of it was a servant who had lost everything and not the prince he had pretended to be. Even if he was a sadist, he would never feel pleased to see her to suffer that… Suddenly, he heard Takasugi speak.

"I'm afraid that Sougo has just left for a mission on the Northern frontiers of Edo. You'll not see him here. So Hime sama, how about you enjoy our hospitality for a few days instead? I shall make arrangements to recall Sougo at once."

 _You bastard Takasugi… I know what you're planning, you just want to use China, don't you… Damn it, I hate myself, why can't I do anything about it! You devil, I wish you'd rot in the hell you came from…_

"WAN!"

"Huh? Sadaharu, what's the matter? "

The huge dog 'pointed' his paws at the gallery where Sougo was standing, trying to tell his mistress that the guy they were searching for was right in front of them. Takasugi looked up too, before smirking and saying," Ah, that's my newest servant. I think, Hime sama, your dog feels that he is the one you're looking for. I must say, he does resemble Sougo, doesn't he?"

Sougo clenched his fists, trying his best not to strangle Takasugi and Zura to death. Feeling like his heart was being torn apart, he turned so that they, no, _she_ could not see his face. He might not have any pride left, but he would never let his rival see him like this. He was resolute that she was never going to bow her head in front of Zura or Takasugi because the 'prince' she came searching for was now a servant. He owed her at least that. Still, her next words ripped his heart into shreds.

"Why the hell would I come looking for a servant, huh? The guy just has hair similar to that of the sadist! Sadaharu, your nose isn't working, it's probably because of that guy you've been chewing, uh huh. And I'm off now, there's nothing for me here anymore." And with an inaudible murmur, she marched out, just as proudly as she had entered.

The moment she was out of earshot, Zura burst out into mocking laughter, "Hey look, his beloved princess doesn't even recognize him! Is this your 'love', Sougo, for which you threw away your honor? Really, I can't help but _pity_ you."

Takasugi smiled in sheer sadistic pleasure as well. "So the princess who came all the way here for her 'ideal prince' ended up with a servile pauper. No wait, she couldn't even recognize him, so she actually ended up with nothing in exchange for all her sufferings. Worse, she's just too foolish to realize that she could just get the comfort she wanted over here, in our arms. Really, I pity her more than I do you."

"For that, Takasugi, Katsura, I'll never spare you. If you dare lay a hand on her, I am going to kill you for it, whether I've my katana or not, whether I die for it or not. Don't you ever forget it." And with that, Sougo walked away, though he had no idea where he was going.

"My, my, so he still won't stop growling, eh Zura?

"No beast ever does. You ought to know that yourself, Takasugi. And it's not Zura, it's Katsura."

Sougo stared listlessly into the lake at the back of the palace gardens, watching his reflection. Absentmindedly, he glanced at his hands, filled with bloody red marks from all the times he had dug his nails in them. Suddenly, the water below him flickered, showing the image of a girl with red hair tucked into side buns, wearing a red cheongsam and carrying a purple parasol. _China._ Sougo laughed bitterly, he must really have lost his mind if he was seeing images of her everywhere…

"Oi, sadist, what's so funny? Is it that the one who wanted a masochistic slave is slowly becoming one himself?" Sougo spun around, hardly daring to believe his ears. But then he began to question his eyes as well. For a girl with red hair tucked into side buns, wearing a red cheongsam and carrying a purple parasol was really standing behind him, a shit-eating grin plastered all over her face.

"Seriously Sadist, stop staring at me like that! You're creepy! Do you want me to bash your annoying face in now, huh? Is it the first damned time you're seeing me?"

"China… You _knew_ it was me back then?"

"Of course I did, stupid sadist! There's no one as ugly or as smelly as you in the entire universe, uh huh. And here's your jacket and katana. They suit you better than those at least."

"Hey China, why did you even come here again? I think you know that I am no prince, so it'd be better if you just leave. You won't get what you are searching for here. I'll take care of this myself."

"I came here to crush you, you asshole. Did you already forget that? And moreover, I didn't come all this way looking for a prince, I came in search of a stupid, irresponsible, ugly, hateful sadist. And I found him too, so I am _not_ going to leave, uh huh. Huh? Sadist, what-"

Kagura was totally caught unawares as Sougo leaned in, kissing her deeply on the lips. Sliding his hands around her waist, he pulled her closer, causing her to drop her parasol. His red eyes shone as she moaned softly before kissing him back herself, running her soft hands through his hair. Finally, when they pulled apart, he murmured," Guess I wasn't searching for a princess myself. All I wanted was an ugly, gluttonous, dirty-mouthed, brainless China doll. Looks like I found her too. That makes us even now."

"We still have a dance-off! Don't try backing out!"

"Well, let's do it the day we get married, how about it?"

"Married?! What-what the hell, Sadist!"

"Well, I kissed you, didn't I? So I'll have to marry you too, not to mention that I'm the only person who can handle a pig with a black hole for a stomach like you."

"And I'm probably the only one who can beat the crap out of a sadist like you, uh huh. So I think it makes sense. By the way, I'll kill you for that insult soon enough."

"Good to hear that, piggy. I'll be making you my slave sooner than that."

"I _hate_ you, sadist." " _Me too, China_."

And they pressed their foreheads together, small grins curving their lips, which soon met in a passionate kiss.

 **A/N: And there goes the 6** **th** **chapter. Goodness, it's quite long… But they finally were reunited, it made me fangirl while writing it, :)** **! I do hope you liked it as well!**

 **A ton of thanks to Akely and Bereftsoul for their awesome reviews, which as always inspire me to keep going! And to everyone who's reading this story, I'm really grateful to you all! As ever, please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you like, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 7: A Husband's Family Matters Are Also His Wife's Business**

The sadistic former prince finally disengaged himself from his future wife, knowing that he still had many more hurdles to cross before he could be with her again like this. She didn't mind too, they both were aware that this reunion would have to be bittersweet and short, but the ones in the future would definitely be like those out of a fairytale.

"Oi, China, get your dog and leave this kingdom immediately. Your people are definitely worried half to death over their brainless princess."

"Are you saying that I'm brainless?! And my people would never worry about their awesomely cute and super strong princess!"

"Yep, that thinking shows the extent of your brain damage. Don't argue, China. I've got personal matters to be settled here that are none of your business. You are just going to be a burden anyway if you stick around, so leave."

Kagura stared at Sougo, her eyes rebellious. She asked," Are you seriously worried that I'll get hurt in a fight? Do you even have any idea-"

"You can probably beat your elder sibling in a quarrel or me in a dance-off, but this is a different game, China. People will die and you'll be the one killing them. You'll just get yourself taken out in minutes here, with that brain and body. So just get lost. _Please."_

Kagura met Sougo's eyes for one last time before turning away with an impassive face. She whistled softly for Sadaharu who emerged in a jiffy out of the nearby bushes. Then, climbing onto his back, she told her pet," It's time to leave now, Sadaharu. Sadist has 'personal business' to handle, uh huh. We're heading home now."

The dog wuffed in reply before trotting out of the garden at a brisk pace, moving faster when he reached the gate. In almost no time, the girl and her dog could no longer be seen from where Sougo stood. He suddenly recalled that his China hadn't told him to definitely come back alive or anything of that sort … He shrugged, grinning. _Well, looks like she's already assumed I'll be doing that. Don't worry China, even if you don't ask, I'll come back when this is over, no matter what. And you had better be yelling at and fighting with me that day._

Kagura murmured to herself as Sadaharu ran down the broad, paved road that led to the Shinsengumi headquarters," I'm not going to tell you to come back for me or sentimental crap like that, stupid sadist. Because I'll be bringing you back with me, uh huh. Edo really doesn't know anything about the demon princess of Rakuyou. We really should enlighten them, right Sadaharu?"

"WAN!"

Meanwhile, Takasugi paced about the throne room, frowning as he smoked his kiseru. His brother looked at him in curiosity, wondering why the one-eyed man seemed to be worried. Finally, unable to restain himself any longer, he popped the question.

Takasugi glared at the interruption in his thoughts, snapping, " It should be obvious to anyone except a stupid idiot like you, Zura. And I don't care if your name is Katsura! Don't you find anything unsettling that none of the shinobi I sent to trail the Rakuyou princess have returned or reported to me? There is only one possibility, that they have been done away with, either by her or her allies. Can you not appreciate how much cause for concern we have if someone as strong as that is our enemy?"

"You're worrying far too much, Takasugi. I do not think that such a pretty princess has ever fought a single person before. There's no way she could take down a band of shinobi. In fact, it cannot have been any of her allies either, as such a strong man would definitely not go unnoticed by the spies. And after all, the head guard, a shinobi himself has said that the girl came alone with her dog."

"Well then, where the hell did the shinobi go?" "To a ramen stall, perhaps? They might have been hungry…"

Takasugi looked like he was about to completely lose the last ounce of temper he had left. He was about to give Zura a taste of his fury, when footsteps sounded in the hall. Both kings stood speechless as the former Shinsengumi captain walked in, holding an open katana, his eyes flashing a bloody red.

"Sougo? What the hell do you think you're doing? Wait, who dared to give you that katana?"

"I wonder, have you finally lost your mind, Sougo? Are you forgetting that if you attack us, the Rakuyou princess, Shinsengumi and people of Bushu die too? Your manner is hardly befitting of a _servant_."

"Servant or not, I'm your younger sibling, Takasugi, Zura. And you wouldn't overturn your father's last wish, would you? And keeping all those hostages must be real complicated even for you, right? It's becoming quite complicated for me too, remembering all rules of etiquette is a real pain in the ass. So I have a simpler solution for all of us."

"Sougo, you're presently signing your death warrant. But I'll hear what it is. A servant who will die soon should get to have his last wish granted, don't you think?"

"Of course. The same favor can be extended to beasts, after all. But we're straying from the point. I propose, as this is a family matter, we settle it as such, without involving outsiders. In other words, a duel to death between siblings, with all forms of sadism allowed."

"So you wish to save the hostages with your death? Too bad, I'll just be killing them, after I've killed you. Sougo, I told you to choose between them, didn't I? Looks like you've chosen both. Well, fine by me, it's all the more merrier if it gets bloodier. Ah, how my soul stirs at the prospect of a bloodbath…" Takasugi drew his own sword and the stepbrothers faced off against each other, the air around them dark and heavy with killing intent.

There was a flash of steel and sparks as the two swords clashed with a resounding clang. The best swordsmen in the kingdom fought in deadly earnest, neither gaining the upper hand. Every slash Sougo landed on Takasugi was almost immediately returned back in kind. Sougo jumped and feinted, moving at a speed that even Zura was unable to follow without great difficulty. But Takasugi moved even quicker, his motions like a silent wild beast, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike the fatal stroke. Suddenly, Sougo felt a warm, wet stickiness at his side. His opponent had landed the precursor of the decisive slash. Taking in a deep breath and letting his instincts take him over, Sougo allowed himself forget the part of him that calculated and planned during a fight. For a wild beast could only be hunted by another.

Katsura looked at the ongoing duel, troubled. The two had been at it for well over an hour already, neither conceding even an inch. But things had finally begun swinging towards a decision. Just a few moments ago, it had seemed that Takasugi had grabbed the upper hand, but suddenly, it no longer seemed to be a question of winning or losing. All that existed was the difference between the hunter and the hunted. The whole fight now hinged on who was which. Both of them were going at each other with all they had got, their attacks barely visible. And what troubled Katsura was that the sadist was gradually gaining the upper hand, though it could never be spotted by a layman. He pulled out his sword as well, all was fair in a brawl between stray animals. Especially when it was his life and ambitions that were at stake.

Sougo felt a chill run up his back as he evaded Takasugi's strike. He couldn't help but glance back for a fleeting second, to see Zura's sword aimed for him, even as Takasugi rushed at him from the front. If he dodged one, the other would kill him. There was no question of taking them on at once or feinting, childish tricks like that would never work against fighters of their caliber. He decided that he would rather take on Takasugi, if he had to die either way, he would rather die fighting than trying to make a decision. And it was originally Takasugi he was supposed to be fighting with. So he gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the katana, as a final thought crossed his mind. _I'm sorry, China. Seems like we aren't going to get a very happy ending…_

Suddenly, he glimpsed a flash of red from the corners of his eyes. There was a loud _clang_ and a swish of purple and white as both Takasugi and Zura were thrown back, crashing into the walls, totally taken aback. Even Sougo couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at the person beside him, who was none other than his own China. But she looked nothing like the pretty, mischievous and rude princess who had danced at the ball. Her eyes and attitude were that of a warrior had fought so many battles that she considered the battlefield as a second home. However…

"China? I told you to go home! What the hell do you think you're doing here, interfering in my family matters?"

"Is that how you show gratitude to someone who saved your sorry life, Sadist?! And who did you think you are, that I, the princess of Rakuyou, would obey your orders, huh? And as I'm going to marry you soon, your family matters are my business as well!"

Zura stood up, coughing from the blow Kagura had just dealt him with her parasol. " How can you, a princess, push us back? You're no more than a pretty girl with too much spunk…"

"Sorry Zura, but you've got the wrong person. Same went for your shinobi, Bakasugi. I am not a pretty princess, I'm _the demon princess of Rakuyou_. Sheesh, you people of Edo really don't know anything about me. This is, what, the second time I've had to introduce myself, uh huh."

"My shinobi? What about them?"

"I knocked them all out, uh huh. Hey Sadist, you've sure got some obedient police officers. They're assembled outside, you had better go and greet them later. They were quite worried about you, though I can't figure out why."

"The Shinsengumi?! Whatever do you mean, China?"

"Really, how thick is your skull?! I simply went and beat up the shinobi guarding the police headquarters, declared myself as the Supreme commander of the Shinsengumi and told them to surround the castle while I saved your thankless ass. Oh and I issued orders for the withdrawal of troops from Bushu as well, so you don't have to worry about losing anything anymore, Sadist. Family matters are settled better without hostages, uh huh. "

Takasugi crushed his kiseru and swore. That damn girl had messed up all his carefully laid plans from the very beginning. He truly had never imagined that one woman could be so destructive. But this girl wasn't a woman, she was a monster. And as long as she and Sougo were around, their hopes of success would always be extremely bleak. And thus, they had to be eliminated. He exchanged one look with Zura, which said it all. And they charged in unison.

"Hey Sadist, let's fight together this time, shall we?"

"I hate that idea, but since I hate losing to them even more, we've a deal, China."

And then they attacked back too, Kagura taking on Zura, while Sougo clashed swords with Takasugi.

 **A/N: So there ends the 7** **th** **chapter. Sorry for updating later than usual, blame the delay on a headache named academics. Thousands of thanks to Akely, Bereftsoul and love at third sight for reviewing, your appreciation always inspires and fires me up! Heaps of gratitude to everyone who read this story, too. I do hope you enjoyed it! As ever, please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you like, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 8: Sometimes, Winning A War Is Simpler Than Getting Married**

Meanwhile, as the duels raged on within the castle, outside it, an atmosphere of calm prevailed. The castle was surrounded by the Shinsengumi, clad in their customary black uniform. But in spite the peaceful conditions surrounding them, it would be accurate to say that the police officers were truly having one of the most interesting days of their lives. First, their captain had taken leave of absence, which meant that they did not have to bear the brunt of his sadism. Then, out of nowhere, a red haired China girl had marched in with a giant white dog, shooting merrily at the HQ with her purple parasol. Every shot of hers revealed concealed shinobi, who she then took out almost effortlessly. After that, she had briefly announced herself as the permanent supreme commander of the Shinsengumi. Obviously, there had been no objections, for none wished to die and the prospect of having such a beautiful, though terrifying commander definitely appealed to most of them, not to mention that all of them secretly harbored hopes that she would give their sadistic captain a long delayed lesson. And now, they were surrounding the castle and also taking care of a giant dog which thought of all of them as chew toys. Indeed, it was a really unique day.

Moving back to the throne room…

Zura mentally swore that he would never underestimate a woman again. For, he was paying the price for doing just that at the present. In the beginning, he had gone just a bit easy on Kagura, for it hurt his ego to unleash all his skills to beat a woman. But he had deeply regretted it, for she had taken advantage of just that, inflicting deep wounds on him in only a short span of time. It did not help that she was an excellent close-range fighter; she hardly gave him enough time to get fully serious before striking again.

"Zura, you're an idiot! If you don't use all you have, you'll never even be close to beating me, uh huh!"

"It's not Zura, it's Katsura! And you aren't even giving me time to use all I have!"

"Why the hell should I do that?! Has the interior of your brain collapsed or what? Your screws aren't just loose, they've totally fallen out!"

Enraged, he slashed at her blindly, a strike that cut through the wall of the palace, but it sadly turned out to be his biggest mistake. For Kagura immediately somersaulted, dodging the attack by a hairbreadth, kicking him in the face and firing her umbrella at point-blank range as she landed, as gracefully as ever. Zura, now totally beaten, stared defiantly at the girl in front of him. Shame weighed him down, for he had just lost to a girl at least half a decade younger than him.

"I've lost. Kill me now and get it over with, China demon. I no longer have any rights to be a king, not after being humiliated by a woman."

" _Say any more, and I really will kill you, Zura._ If you cannot accept that a woman can beat you, then you've no right to be on a battlefield or be a king. Sheesh, I wonder what Ikumatsu-neesan sees in you… Anyway, as you aren't the king anymore, I'd suggest you go and get some ramen. And try to do something for others too, instead of just trying to achieve your motives, uh huh." With that advice, she marched away, heading to where Sougo and Takasugi were currently fighting.

Sougo, meanwhile, hardly remembered where he was. All he knew was that waves of resentment and fury were swelling up within him, telling him to purge the black haired man in front of him, who had caused him so much torment, who had made him suffer for nearly 16 years of his life. His katana moved without him having to think about it, as deadly as the fangs of a wild beast. He dodged and parried by instinct alone, he had lost control a long while ago, as had his opponent. Suddenly, his body sensed a chance opening and his katana lunged forward, with terrible force. Warm blood splattered on his hands, but he didn't, or rather, couldn't stop attacking, until a loud clang hit his ears. Before he could react, a fist had landed right on his nose, the impact nearly knocking him out.

However, the pain had its benefits as well, for it brought him back to his senses. The haze before his eyes cleared, and he saw Kagura, standing in front of a bloody, half-dead Takasugi, her fist raised and her eyes flashed an angry gunmetal blue, instead of their normal azure hue.

"China… Why the hell are you protecting that bastard? **And you just broke my nose, goddamnit!** "

"It's not Bakasugi that I'm protecting, it's you, Sadist! Do you have any idea of the extent to which you lost control, huh? Even for a sadist like you, to attack a half-dead, beaten opponent is way too sick!"

Sougo stared at her, speechless. In a flash, he recalled how he had severed all his links to sanity, attempting to beat Takasugi. Had it been a little while more, perhaps he would truly have turned into an uncontrollable wild beast…. What the hell, maybe he was already one…

Suddenly, he felt a soft hand pat his shoulder. Kagura had knelt down beside him, her eyes filled with understanding. She muttered softly, " Idiot sadist, how dare you be so irresponsible… Not that I was worried about you or anything, uh huh. And quit looking so regretful, it isn't like you at all! If you're a beast, then I'm a demon, so we'll get along well enough, yes?"

"No doubt about it, China. We're probably the only ones who can handle each other, and besides, there isn't a single person in this world who I hate more than you."

"Well, I hate you more than anyone too, you Sadist!"

"I think, o great Sadistic lord, my husband would be a more apt name, and I'll call you my gluttonous, masochistic China doll faced monster. Well, what do you say?"

Unfortunately for him, Kagura chose to reply with her umbrella.

Outside, a few minutes later, the members of the Shinsengumi couldn't help but roll on the lawns, laughing, as they watched their supreme commander throw their captain out of the window, shouting curses at him. From her curses, they gathered that apparently, the captain had said something about King Zura losing only because he had glimpsed his opponent's strawberry patterned underwear which had caused him to die of laughter. Yamazaki felt quite sure that the world would end when the pair got married, but he decided that such an apocalypse would definitely be rather exciting too.

At the same time, many miles away, in the royal palace of Rakuyou…

Umibozu stared, speechless at the person in front of him. After so many years, his sudden reappearance had awakened a mass of confused emotions within Umibozu, who was hardly sure whether he should hug, welcome, punch or yell at the new arrival. Finally, Tsukuyo asked, a hint of caution in her drawl, " Kamui sama, it's been a long time since ya last dropped by."

Kamui smiled as cheerfully as usual," Yep, sure has! My, hasn't everything changed… Seriously Baldy, I think you've less hair than before, though I never imagined that was possible…"

"WATCH YOUR WORDS, YOU IRRESPONSIBLE SON, KAMUI! I'M NOT BALD, JUST A LITTLE THIN ON THE TOP!"

Tsukuyo gave Umibozu a death glare," Will ya shut up? No one needs ta hear yer excuses fer them dead hair follicles. Kamui sama, I do not mean ta sound rude, but why are ya back now?"

"How unfair, how can't I come, seeing as my sister is going to get married soon? After all, I do need to give a little lesson to the bastard who dares to defile my dear little sister, don't you agree, Tsukuyo?"

Tae sighed inaudibly at that, the eldest prince had a _serious_ sister complex. God knew how he would react when he heard that his dear little sister had currently left, all alone, to search for her future husband. Those two idiots would really give her 'little sister' hell about her marriage…

"So, wherever is Imouto-chan? It's odd, she'd normally have come to beat me up by now."

"Kamui sama, Kagura Hime has recently left for a journey to search for, um, someone important to her- Ah!" The retainer choked as Kamui grabbed his neck, dashing the poor man against the wall, his blue eyes flaming with a sudden, mad anger.

"Left on a journey, you say? Is it perhaps to search for her lover, eh? Hey, you Baldy, you're not telling me that you let her go all alone, and that you let her run behind some bastard, are you?"

"Stop that at once, Kamui! Kagura left without my permission. I was wholly against this, but that girl's more stubborn than your mother herself!"

"Huh, is that it? Well then, I just guess she's going to have to learn an important lesson, though I'm afraid it might be by the hard way."

Tsukuyo's amethyst eyes narrowed in suppressed rage. The prince had not been home for years, not even when his mother, the queen, passed away. He, who had never shown a bit of concern as to how his sister had grown up all these years, had no right whatsoever, to stand in the way of her happiness now or question her decisions. Tsukuyo knew that the person Kagura met at the ball might very likely not be a prince, but she knew just as well that her princess would be happy with him. And no idiot, no matter if he was the most powerful in entire Rakuyou or next in line to be king, was going to ruin it. Beside her, Tae had on her sweetest, in other words, most scariest smile, while Tama stood as impassive as ever, though her hands seemed to tremble a little. But all of them restrained themselves, for they knew that it would only make a difference if they acted at the right time. Kamui and Umibozu hardly noticed them, already planning the funeral of the sadist who had stolen their innocent little sister/daughter.

Just then, said sadist was having a furious argument with his future wife, the subject of quarrel being their future plans. Kagura wanted to go back to Rakuyou to meet her father and 'sisters', for she was sure that they would worry if she did not return for a long time. Sougo, on the other hand, wanted to wed, bed and play with his China doll and was not in the least bothered about what her family would say. Finally, after over an hour of fighting, they agreed to first go and meet Kagura's family, then get married with rigorous disobedience of all annoying royal codes and finally return to Edo and quarrel with each other till the end of time. That very evening, the newly crowned king of Edo and his fiancée left for Rakuyou, accompanied by no one but a giant dog and a few members of the Shinsengumi, in magnificent carriages provided by the lazy fairy godfather of the king. Gintoki had also taken the responsibility of watching over Zura and Takasugi, in case they tried anything suspicious.

As the carriages glided over the paved road leading out of Edo, Kagura gazed at the bright full moon with a contented smile, definite that it looked much prettier than it did on the night she had first travelled down the road. Unknown to her, a small grin too tugged at Sougo's lips, as he watched his China smile, her azure eyes twinkling with hidden stars.

 **A/N: So there ends the eighth chapter! Kamui's finally turned up, and our favourite couple are returning home. Goodness, I really am eager to write the next chapter** **! I do hope you enjoy this story as well and I'll definitely be updating again soon!**

 **Many, many and many more thanks to Akely and the anonymous guest for their wonderful reviews, I'm afraid I can hardly express all my gratitude in a few words. And to everyone who's reading this story, I'm really thankful to you all! As ever, please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you like, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 9: All's Well That Ends Well!**

Tsukuyo leaned against the balcony, quietly smoking her kiseru, only her amethyst eyes belying her anxiety. Tae stood beside her, smiling as always, but it was obvious that she was just as worried as Tsukuyo. It had been a day since Kamui, the eldest prince had arrived and it had become quite apparent that he was totally serious about bringing his sister back and teaching her 'lover' a fatal lesson. Not that the two had ever doubted it. It was well known that the prince, no matter how badass he was or no matter how many battles he fought, always was a total siscon. Often to such an extent that it could be called positively destructive.

"Say, Tae, what's gonna happen ta Kagura? Her elder bro's hell bent on ruining her life, what a damned siscon…"

"Siscon? I think that's rather ironic. Any brother would want their sister to be happy, Tsukuyo. The way Kamui sama is going, all he's going to be doing is to make Kagura-chan cry. The guy's as big an idiot as his bald dad."

"There ain't nothing we can do, an' I hate it. We don't stand a chance against tha idiot prince in a fight and if we die, we'll just be breaking our last promise ta Kagura. An' I won't do that."

"It really seems like we're between the devil and the deep sea, doesn't it? Ah, Tama, what's the matter?"

"There are a few carriages headed this way. And I think, we should go and greet them. After all, it is part of royal etiquette, is it not, that a princess returning home with her fiancé should be welcomed by her retainers?" Tama smiled, her shining red eyes the only clue to how excited she was.

"Kagura chan is back?!" "Oi, let's get goin'!"

And the three women rushed out of the palace, led by Tama, not slowing down until they reached the sakura trees lining the road leading to the gates of the palace. From where they stood, they could see two magnificent carriages drawn by white stallions racing towards them, a giant white dog running side by side with them.

In almost no time, the carriages drew up before the three smiling women. Sougo, dressed in simple, yet regal attire, stepped out, carrying Kagura, who was fast asleep securely in his arms. Tsukuyo smiled a little to see them and said," Ah, Hime sama's fast asleep. Say, are ya a real prince or not? We don't even know yer name, even though yer gonna marry our little sister."

"Huh? I never thought China was such an idiot that she would come all this way for someone whose name she didn't know. Not that I'm too surprised… I'm Okita Sougo, the prince of the planet of sadism and now the king of Edo, so do you find my credentials good enough for marriage?"

"Oh, as long as Kagura chan says so, they are. Princes are generally a stupid lot anyway, so we aren't too fussy. However, why is she so deeply asleep? I hope you haven't done anything to my little sister, now." "Tae, yer becoming as bad as Kamui, yanno."

"Nope, unfortunately not. This glutton is just sleeping because of exhaustion from the long journey. In a way, I rather prefer this, because I don't have to hear her continuous yelling and whimsical demands. Seriously, do you guys never feed her, or does she have black hole as a stomach? Also, your princess can curse worse than a drunk sailor, not to mention that she fights like a monster. Really, what kind of bringing up did you give her?"

Sougo smirked at on seeing the shock on the faces of the three women in front of him. _Seems like they're totally shell-shocked by me… Well, I couldn't be bothered to put on courtly manners and all. Moreover, it's the absolute truth, China. Now it looks like I'll never be welcomed as your husband… Huh? They're laughing? Why ever…_

For Tae had burst out into giggles on hearing Sougo's description, Tsukuyo was chuckling under her breath while Tama was also laughing quietly. Finally, when they got a grip on themselves, Tsukuyo said, " Yanno, tha description of Kagura is totally correct. Our princess, no, little sister is truly an unbelievable glutton and monster who can curse and yell like a gangster." Tae put in, "Okita kun, we heartily approve of your marrying Kagura chan now. It's true that she's nothing like a typical princess, but she's the best princess we've ever known." Tama added, "And we want her to marry someone who can accept her for who she is, and who is as crazy as her. I do think, that you're perfectly suited to each other!"

Sougo stared at them, for it was his turn to be surprised. Finally, a small grin tugged at the edges of his lips, as he murmured," Well, looks like your family's as insane as you, China. But for an extreme sadist like me, that is suitable enough."

Kamui stood in front of the castle gates, as his companion Abuto kept grumbling quietly behind his back. The prince wondered where Tsukuyo, Tae and Tama had rushed off to in such a hurry as he waited calmly for them to come back. He loved to see the anger and terror on the servants' faces when he was interrogating them, smiling as brightly as ever. His 'antenna' wiggled as he saw the outlines of the three women approaching the castle, followed by a person carrying something and a huge dog. The last sight made him frown, the last member of the little troupe could only be Sadaharu. But that meant, Kagura…

Abuto looked up to, hearing the faint thud of Sadaharu's paws. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the person in the centre. It was a handsome, sandy haired man, with the bearing and authority of a king, but what alarmed Abuto was not that. It was the fact that the said person was carrying a sleeping red haired girl whom he recognized to be his idiotic leader's little sister in his arms. Worse, he could already feel the man beside him emanating a highly murderous aura.

Sougo sighed, shifting his arms so that Kagura would stop tossing and turning about in her sleep. Tama had suggested that he let Sadaharu carry her, but he had refused firmly. Somehow, he did not _feel_ open to the idea of sharing his China doll with _anyone else_ , not even a giant dog. As he walked, several questions began to spin out in his mind. _Since when did this nuisance of a brat become so important to me? And however did I fall head over heels for her? But it isn't too bad, either…._ He looked up as he saw the vast castle in front of him, before focusing on the duo at its entrance, one of whom looked a lot like his China and who now seemed ready to kill somebody. And Sougo had little difficulty guessing who his target was.

"Oi, oi, who do you think you're carrying like that over there? I would advise you put her down, unless you want to be killed in the most painful way possible." Kamui said calmly, a chillingly cheerful smile plastered on his face. Sougo merely deadpanned at his threat, saying, " I see that you don't know yet. Well, I'm carrying my extremely lazy and gluttonous future wife and I believe no one in the world has a right to object to that."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure her big brother has that right. Not to mention the authority to slice the man spoiling his sister's purity into a thousand bits."

"Looks like you are even bigger a siscon than me, Big brother san. However, can you keep your voice down for the moment? It'll be troublesome if your sister wakes up, for she'll just be yelling for pickled seaweed again. If you want a fight, you'll get it after I put this China brat to bed." And Sougo calmly walked past Kamui, leaving Tae, Tsukuyo and Tama delicately smirking behind him. Kamui, on the other hand, stood stunned, unable to believe that anyone could ignore his sadistic siscon aura and just walk by. Abuto sighed, knowing that there was going to be a lot of bloodshed and violence later, before murmuring to himself, "Goddamnit, that is one sadistic husband the little missy has found. Seriously, everyone in this kingdom is totally insane."

Quite a few hours later, Kagura woke up to find herself tucked up in her bed, Sadaharu dozing beside her. Trying to recall what had happened recently, she noted that the sadist was nowhere to be seen. Faint clangs of clashing metal could be heard, though it all seemed very far away to Kagura, who was still half-asleep. Yawning hugely, she pulled herself out of the bed, fixing her messed up hair in the mirror, her thoughts straying towards a red-eyed sadist. _I wonder where that idiot is… It's not like him to leave me alone in bed and go away without doing anything… I hope Tsukky isn't too mad at me… huh? What about Papi? There's no way he wouldn't be shouting now, but I can't hear him! Wait, is everything all right? Those sounds from before, don't tell me, he and the sadist are having a fight?!_ Her heart racing uncontrollably from apprehension, Kagura grabbed her umbrella and bolted out of the room, fairly flying down the stairs.

Meanwhile...

 _Clang!_ The sound of a sword and umbrella clashing echoed throughout the palace. All the residents of the palace, from the newest retainer to the very king, Umibozu stood in a wide circle around the fighters, each and every one of them shocked at the ferocity and sadism of the fighters. Umibozu himself felt that the fight was going way too far, though he admitted that he too would have loved to beat up the bastard who stole his daughter without his permission. But as he watched the young man fight, he realized that possibly, no matter how much he searched or how many balls he held, he would never find a man strong enough to fight on nearly equal terms with his idiot son and consequentially, strong enough to deal with and protect his precious daughter. And the fact that Kagura had gone searching for him, taking such risks was proof that she cared about him too, right? All his life, he had regretted not being able to save his wife from her chronic illness and not being able to bring up his son properly. And the last thing that he wanted to do was to regret that he had failed to give his only daughter the happiness she deserved so much.

Both the combatants seemed at their limits now, their faces and hands dripping with blood and their weapons shattered at their feet. But they still were going at it, though it was apparent that Kamui held the upper hand now. Umibozu grimly picked up his umbrella, it was time to stop this fight before it became too late.

Suddenly…

There was a huge report of gunshots, aimed at Kamui and Sougo. Both of them scattered, dodging the bullets. Looking up in rage to see who had interrupted their fight, they both saw a furious Kagura pointing her umbrella at both of them, a terrifyingly angry halo of black waves swirling behind her. In mere seconds, the raging fighters from before were trying not to shiver before their enraged sister/fiancée.

" _What the hell do the two of you think you're doing? You just ruined my beauty sleep, uh huh. Seems like you truly are begging for a funeral now…_ _ **Hey Sadist, did you really think that I would not notice the fact that my clothes are different from earlier? And Baka-niichan, did you think I was going to forgive you for disappearing without a word and just turning up one day to ruin my life?**_ _Both of you, prepare to die here, uh huh."_

"China, are you seriously going to kill your fiancee?" "Imouto-chan, surely you won't murder your big brother, right?"

Kagura glared at them, as if she really meant to do what she threatened, before marching up to them and banging their heads together, finally giving them both a tight hug each, with a light kiss in Sougo's case.

Kamui's eyes flashed dangerously as he watched his sister kiss Sougo. But all of a sudden, they softened when Kagura hugged him tightly, mumbling something about him being the worst big brother ever. As he patted his little sister's head, he decided that perhaps his future brother-in-law wasn't too bad, after all, he could make Kagura smile and as he had just learnt himself, he could take care of his crazy sister too. Slowly, the tension in the air cracked as some began to laugh and everyone smiled, feeling truly happy at how things had turned out.

 **A/N: So there ends the ninth chapter! Everyone's made up their differences and our favorite couple are soon going to live happily ever after. The next chapter will most probably be the last one, about their marriage and a little bit about their life after it. I'm really getting a bittersweet feeling now, seems like I've become rather attached to this story… I do hope you enjoy this story as well!**

 **Many, many and many more thanks to Akely for her wonderful reviews, they always inspire me and fire me up! But I'm afraid I can hardly express all my gratitude in a few words, heehee. And to everyone who's reading this story, I'm really thankful to you all! As ever, please send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you like, I am always happy to hear what you think of it!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A Tale Of Two Kingdoms**

 **Chapter 10: And They Lived Happily Ever After… Or Did They?**

"WHERE THE HELL IS MY WIG?! SOMEONE, _I DON'T CARE WHO_ , **BRING IT HERE IMMEDIATELY** !" Umibozu's roar nearly shook the very walls of the room, as terrified servants scattered, frantically searching for their king's precious ornament for his shiny head.

"Oiya, oiya, Baldy, quit making such an uproar. We all know that you're totally bald anyway. A wig only emphasizes the fact, right Abuto?"

"Indeed, as your face emphasizes your stupidity, Prince."

" _ **Shut up, will ya?**_ As it is, it's almost time for Imouto chan's wedding! Baldy, you've got to walk her down the aisle, so better get ready. I can't believe I'm seeing the day when my idiot little sis gets married!"

"Prince, can you not be little less a siscon? Hey, Baldy, why the hell are _you_ tearing up now?!"

"My Kagura chan is going to leave me for that extreme sadist… Even though I know she'll be happy, it's too hard seeing my only daughter leaving me…" Kamui sighed wistfully at that, his signature smile vanishing for a moment. Abuto looked at the father and son, a little surprised, before chuckling very softly under his breath. _Looks like they still are as close as ever, guess you can never split a family apart, not even one of demons._ Clearing his throat, he merely said aloud," Well, it's not as if she's going away completely. The little missy will be visiting often enough, yanno. So try to liven up a bit, why don't you?" Both Kamui and Umibozu looked at each other, small grins pulling up the edges of their mouths and inclined their heads in agreement.

In another room, in the opposite side of the palace, Tsukuyo, Tae and Tama bustled around their princess, straightening her dress, doing her hair and applying small touches of makeup. Kagura, for once, let them fuss around without complaining, partly because she knew that they wouldn't listen in the least and also because she could hardly believe what was happening that day. It all seemed like a dream to her, no matter how many times she pinched herself.

She and the sadist were about to get married. Baka-niichan and Baldy had given their blessings with comparatively lesser protest than she would have expected. Tsukky, Anego and Tama had at once taken charge of all arrangements, leaving her with nothing to worry about. Even the sadist had smiled, something very rare for him. While it was true that she had never really wanted to marry a sparkling, perfect prince of her dreams, she had also never imagined that she would be getting married to an extreme sadist who could fight on nearly equal footing with all her family, except her dad perhaps and who took immense pleasure in irritating and tormenting her. But at the same time, it was true that she felt something for him that she never had felt for anyone or anything else, except perhaps pickled seaweed. She denied as always, that it was love, as did he, but, as she glanced at herself in the mirror, all decked up in a snow white wedding gown with a sweeping neckline and dazzling pearls, she felt that even if it was a dream, even if was something she could never have imagined, it was also one of the best moments in her life.

Tsukuyo, who was going to be maid of honor, kissed her little sister gently, as did Tae and Tama. Warm tears trickled down their faces. After all, it was the last day that they were going to see her as the princess of Rakuyou, a few hours from then, she would become the queen of Edo. Kagura too cried a little, but she eventually smiled, a true, wide one, showing off all her teeth, saying," Well, even if I become queen of Edo or Princess of Rakuyou or whatever, I'll always be your little sister, Kagura! So don't miss me, okay? I'll visit every now and then, I'll go crazy if I stay alone too long with the sadist, uh huh." Everyone laughed, tears and all as the bride to be picked up her bouquet and gracefully walked out, followed by her equally beautiful maids of honor.

The Sun shone down on the swirling sakura petals that softly fell down on the immense crowd seated in the pavilion, awaiting the marriage of their King and Princess. A keen observer could spot Ikumatsu, seated by an extremely grumpy Zura, Yamazaki, chatting with Tama, all the members of the Shinsengumi from Saitou to Tetsu, many valiant knights which included Isao Kondou, Toshirou Hijikata, and the traveler Sakamoto Tatsuma along with his close aide Mutsu, who, incidentally was a cousin of Kagura, and many others. A beautiful symphony played as the bride's father took his daughter's hand and led her down the aisle, past the front row, where her brother stood, clapping and smiling, to her prince, who looked handsomer than anyone else in the crowd.

And Okita Sougo also felt like he was happiest man in the whole world, as he watched his beautiful bride come closer to him, her face annoyingly veiled. China really looked wonderful then but he swore that he was never going to tell her that. Ever since his sister died, he never had someone he could call family or his own. And who could have guessed that would find her in a gluttonous, rude and loudmouthed China brat? But, boy, he was definitely glad that he had. And in a way, it was all thanks to his fish eyed godfather, who was currently his best man.

The wedding ceremony went wonderfully well. The couple said their vows, but not without adding their own interpretations as well, such as guaranteeing a lifetime supply of pickled seaweed and Tabasco sauce, fighting with, torturing and making each other's lives hell, till death did them part and of course, carrying out aforesaid activities in the underworld as well. The priest at first looked rather scandalized at their improvisations, before shrugging and continuing with a slight smile. Everyone in the pavilion looked happy, with the notable exception of Zura and Takasugi, who was handcuffed by Gintoki in order to prevent him from doing any mischief. Finally, the priest pronounced that the young couple could kiss each other, which they did, but not before clashing their weapons together.

Later, it was time to dig into the wedding cake. Kamui and Umibozu already had two whole cakes set aside for them, which they gobbled up in seconds. Smiling with a sadistic light sparkling in his eyes, Sougo sliced a piece of the special sukonbu cake and handed it to Kagura, who took it happily, but not without a definite feeling of unease.

Her instincts were justified moments later, when she felt the blaze of Tabasco sauce burn her throat and mouth. And then, as she was about to murder her sadist, she knew that she was definitely not dreaming and that today was the best day in her life. And it would be even better, after she had taught the sadist a lesson with her umbrella.

 _ **A few years later…**_

"Mommy, tell me a fairy tale!" Mitsu pleaded, pulling at her mommy's long red hair. Her mother smiled gently, patting her as she cradled her youngest son, Souichirou in her arms. Seeing that Mitsu looked like she was going to throw an unreasonable tantrum, her father came over, picking her up, saying "I'll be telling you one, how about it? This is a tale of two kingdoms and how the extreme sadist prince of one kingdom made the gluttonous pig of the other kingdom his masochistic wife forever- OUCH!"

Sougo glared at Kagura who had just chucked a paperweight at his head. "Sadist, just what story do you think you're telling Mitsu? Mitsu darling, your mommy will now tell you a story of how there was once an idiot sadist prince, who had to be rescued by a beautiful demon princess and was tormented by her forever- OWWW!"

For Sougo had just pulled her hair hard enough to yank it out. Mitsu and even Souichirou giggled as they watched their mother and father bicker for the millionth time. In fact, Mitsu felt that this was more interesting than any boring princess stories her bald grandpa told her. The stories her uncle told her were always filled with too much bloodshed, but she still enjoyed them. However, it was her dad's sadistic narrations and her mommy's food filled tales that she loved and always would love the most.

Later that night, as Kagura watched her children sleep, with Sougo's arms wrapped around her waist, she decided that her fairytale hadn't ended with a happily ever after, but had gone on with something much, much more thrilling and precious than that. She softly whispered the same to her husband, sure that he was sound asleep and wouldn't remember it in the morning. (Un)Fortunately, Sougo was still awake and heard every word, though for once, he decided not to tease his beloved wife about it. For it was exactly what he often muttered to himself.

 **A/N: So this is the tenth and last chapter of this fic! Goodness, I feel like crying, I really have become attached to this story. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who read this story, I'm really happy if you liked it and if you didn't, I promise I'll try to improve. I want to dedicate this last chapter for everyone who read, reviewed and liked this story, especially Akely, who wrote reviews for every chapter and also Bereftsoul, who always inspired me to update regularly. Lots and lots of gratitude too for the anonymous guests who left such beautiful reviews! I really love all of you** **!**

 **And as ever, please feel free to send me reviews, criticism, suggestions, anything you like, I am always happy to hear what you think of it! See you again in a new fanfic!**


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